![]() ![]() Most Allen's Hummingbirds spend the winter in Mexico but will arrive in shrubby habitats as early as January, when winter rains yield an abundance of flowers, though a small population resides in parts of Southern California year-round. The bright flashes and buzzing sounds of this copper and green gem are a sign of early spring in the coastal regions of California. ![]() However, other subspecies can sometimes be found in wintertime flocks, which can comprise of up to several dozen individuals. Most common in California is the "Oregon Junco" variety, identified by their black or dark gray hood contrasting with their warm brown back and pinkish sides. Dark-eyed Juncos consist of several distinct subspecies that vary geographically. Birders often see juncos feeding on the ground, making ticking calls and flashing their white outer tail feathers as they fly into shrub cover. In most of southern and central California, Dark-eyed Juncos are only present in the winter, but elsewhere in the state, they can be found year-round in coniferous coastal and mountain habitats. One of the most abundant songbirds in North America-recent studies estimate up to 630 million individuals-Dark-eyed Juncos are known as "snowbirds" for their habit of appearing across much of the United States in the winter when temperatures start dropping, after spending their summers breeding in northern forests and mountain ranges. California hosts a variety of key habitats for these migrants, some of which can be found in your backyards and neighborhoods.īetween these determined migrants, lingering winter residents, and year-round breeders, there is a tremendous variety of birds for Californians to enjoy right from their doorsteps in the spring. Here are a few highlighted species: 1) Dark-eyed Junco Meanwhile, long-distance migrants have started trickling through from warmer and tropical locales.Īs a major stop along the Pacific Flyway, up to a billion birds of hundreds of species will pass through the Golden State during spring migration. Species that spent winter here are staging their moves to breeding grounds further north or higher in the mountains. Many resident birds have already begun nesting and raising young. With spring underway in California, the change in seasons brings a peak in bird diversity throughout the state. ![]()
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